I like watching Dr. House. It’s not just his odd humor, if you can call it like this, that attracts me, but also the lessons that I draw related to assessing complex situations and systems.

Here are some of them:

An assumption is but an assumption

We need at least one to get going, but we should be willing to leave it behind as soon as it does not match reality.

Iterate

Complex systems require time to be understood. Start with simple assumptions, get feedback and work your way upwards.

Favor a single cause

Most problems are rooted in a single source. Going past the symptoms to get to this single root is hard enough without complicating the matter by considering multiple sources.

Test relentlessly

Do not limit your analysis to just one test. If you can, do a hundred and let the data speak.

Triangulate

Measure. Test. Always double check. Correlate.

Work in a team

Complex problems need to be tackled from many angles. You need a team that can reveal and discuss these points of view. Even when you are Dr. House.

Visualize

The best way to deal with multi-dimensional problems is to map them on the whiteboard. Even if you have an ugly handwriting.

Live your problem

Get involved in the problem, and relate your everyday experiences to it. The solution might hit you when you least expect.

People are not machines

They hide. They interpret. This is both bad and good. It’s bad because they are not reliable data sources. It’s good because they provide interpretations that can reveal hidden things.

There always is an answer

Even if it is difficult to see at first, there always is an answer.

It’s not Lupus

You mainly find what you are looking for. If you want to find something in particular, you will probably find exactly that regardless of whether it’s true or not. This is especially the case when you are looking for a generic explanation matching half of the situations you encounter.